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24 Best Beaches on the South Coast 2024 Guide

Sometimes it’s easier to plan your holidays around beaches, so if you’re looking for the best beaches on the South Coast NSW, here’s our ultimate list. To be honest, we were blown away by the incredible beaches on the South Coast and couldn’t believe how amazing they truly are.

I even looked at Steve and said, “I think NSW has better beaches than Queensland”, and that’s saying something!

Making this list was hard because there are so many beautiful beaches you need to see for yourself. While Jervis Bay is known for having those turquoise waters, it doesn’t stop there. Continue down the South Coast and you’ll soon see there are plenty of incredible beaches you need to see.

We are already making plans to go back and visit many of these beaches, because a lot of them have campgrounds right opposite them!


Where is the South Coast NSW region?

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Wondering where does the South Coast NSW region start and finish? While many people assume the South Coast is literally the Southern Highlands and down to Jervis Bay, it actually starts from Shoalhaven region and down to the Victorian border.

So, we’re covering from the top of Shoalhaven and right down to Eden. We’ll also list all the South Coast beaches in order from Shoalhaven heads, down to Eden 🙂


1. Sandon Point Boat Sheds

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At the very top of Shoalhaven, Sandon Point Boat Sheds is a great little find. While it’s a good surfing spot and not technically a beach area to relax on, the boat sheds are really cool to check out. Make sure you check out our Best Things To Do In Kiama for loads of places to visit nearby the boat sheds.

They are really old and still house boats in them which is pretty remarkable considering the amount of bashing they must have had from the ocean over the years.


2. Check out the circular rock pool at Werri Beach, Gerringong

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Ever swam in a circular rock pool before? Check out the one at Werri Beach in Gerringong! Although it’s quite small, there’s a larger rock pool on the beach as well if you want to do some laps. The beach however, is beautiful and worth checking out when you’re next looking for beaches near Sydney to visit that you may have not been to before.


3. The Farm (Killalea Beach)

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Steve grew up surfing at The Farm beach, which is actually called Killalea Beach. It’s absolutely beautiful and a hidden gem that feels like only locals know about.


4. Hyams Beach, Jervis Bay

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When it comes to Jervis Bay beached, you know you’re in for a treat. Hyams Beach is stunning but very busy as it’s known for having the ‘whitest sand in the world’. Locals think otherwise and it’s rumoured this was just a marketing effort to get more people to visit the town. Looks like it worked!

The beaches in Jervis Bay are popular for good reason and have similar water colours to that in Whitsundays which is pretty amazing considering it’s just a 2h30m drive from Sydney. Read our popular Best Things To Do In Jervis Bay Guide which lists all of our favourite beaches in the area.

Check out the White Sands Walk and visit Chinamans Beach, Blenheim Beach and Greenfield Beach – all of which are absolutely beautiful beaches. You might even see dolphins splashing around in gentle waves here too!


5. Murrays Beach, Jervis Bay

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Murrays Beach is one of the first beaches Steve ever took me to. Located in Booderee national park, it was voted one of the top 10 beaches in Australia by National Geographic, but you’ll see why when you visit!


6. Cave Beach, Jervis Bay

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Considering Jervis Bay has so many amazing beaches, I couldn’t not mention Cave Beach in Booderee National Park as well! Although it doesn’t the flat turquoise water on the Jervis Bay marine park side, Cave Beach is super beautiful and peaceful – a must visit. Check out the Cave Beach campground as well.


7. Bendalong Point for stingrays

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40 minutes down the road from Huskisson in Jervis Bay will bring you to Bendalong Point which is a famous family friendly South Coast beach. Here you can feed stingrays who will come right up to the beach. When we visited, we were skeptical and couldn’t believe it when we arrived. So many stingrays were right there, with families feeding them (you can buy the feed from the local shop).

I spoke to a local who said apparently there are various types of stingrays and the one’s that visit this beach are safe (not like the Steve Irwin type). Regardless, please be very careful here. I personally wouldn’t feed the stingrays and whatever you do, don’t pat them like a dog.


8. Mollymook Beach, Shoalhaven

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Mollymook Beach is a very popular beach for families in NSW. If you’re visiting with friends or your partner, book in at Bannisters for lunch at Rick Steins before spending the day at the beach here.


9. The Gantry, Bawley Point

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The Gantry South Coast

I really loved visiting The Gantry at Bawley Point, a stunning little beach with a little jetty, perfect for jumping off or fishing. The water is crystal clear here, it’s absolutely beautiful!


10. Depot Beach, Batemans Bay

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When I saw Depot Beach in Murramarang National Park, I turned to Steve and claimed: “this is my new favourite beach in New South Wales”.

He actually agreed with me. There’s something super special about Depot Beach, and with the campground opposite it, it’s one of those beaches we would come back in a heartbeat.

The only problem with this beach is it’s close to the Great White Shark Breeding Ground which is a little unsettling even if there are sharks everywhere in Australia. Check out our Best Beaches in Batemans Bay Guide to see our complete list.


11. Pebbly Beach, Batemans Bay

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Next door to Depot Beach is Pebbly Beach, a gorgeous stretch of sand which is often home to plenty of kangaroos. So, if you’ve ever wanted to visit a beach in Australia with kangaroos, this is the one to come to on the South Coast NSW.


12. South Durras Beach, Cookies Beach & Mill Beach, Batemans Bay

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Cookie Beach

South Durras Beach, Cookies Beach and Mill Beach are all stunning beaches stretching south of Murramarang National Park. All located next door to each other, we loved them all and even saw kangaroos hanging around between Cookies Beach and northern end of Mill Beach!


13. Guerilla Bay, Batemans Bay

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Guerilla Bay in Batemans Bay is a beautiful NSW South Coast beach with super clear and pristine water. With loads of rocks off the beach, it’s a go to sorkeling spot for exploring underwater life. Check out our Best Things To Do In Batemans Bay Guide to see all of the our recommendations for what to do in the area.


14. Tuross Beach

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We kept seeing signs to Tuross Head and on the way back from our South Coast road trip, we decided to check out the One Tree Point Lookout which is in between Tuross Beach and One Tree Beach. The lookout has stunning views but what makes this beach beautiful are the lovely driftwood teepees which people have made on these beaches.


15. Bar Beach South, Narooma

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Bar Beach South in Narooma is one of the most stunning South Coast beaches. The water in Narooma is next level, with dare I say, bluer water than you’ll find in Jervis Bay. Bar Beach is opposite the famous Australia Rock, it’s stunning and worth visiting! Check out our Best Things To Do In Narooma before you go.


16. Surf Beach, Narooma

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When visiting Narooma, make sure you check out Surf Beach which is also the Main Beach in Narooma. Here you can get up close to The Glasshouse Rocks which makes for a perfect photo opportunity. Bring your surf board for some of the best surfing in South Coast.


17. Mystery Bay Beach

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I heard Mystery Bay is beautiful, after one of our readers wrote about their Weekend Away in Mystery Bay, but… wow! Home to some of the best NSW South Coast beaches, you won’t be disappointed here. We were blown away by this absolutely stunning beach and loved the one next door in front of Mystery Bay lookout complete with crystal clear waters on the NSW South Coast.


18. Pebbly Beach, Horse Head Rock, Bermagui

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Pebbly Beach Bermagui

Horse Head Rock is a very famous landmark in the South Coast, but what surprised me more are the incredible beaches next to it. You’ll find loads of rock pools if you walk to Horse Head Rock from the beach, and Pebbly Beach which sits opposite it is one of the nicest beaches in South Coast, and in fact in NSW that we have ever seen! Read our How To Find Horse Head Rock Guide before you visit this amazing spot!


19. Moon Bay & Nelson Beach, Mimosa Rocks National Park

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When people told us to visit Mimosa Rocks National Park, no one really said why. Now we’ve been, we can tell you this is an incredibly special place.

These NSW South Coast beaches are something else. We didn’t get to see the whole of Mimosa Rocks but from what we did see, we loved Moon Bay and Nelson Beach. Both are spectacular and it’s the kind of place we would specifically drive down the South Coast to see more of it and camp here. Absolutely sublime! Read our 5 Best Mimosa Rocks National Park Walks before you visit!


20. Tura Headland Rock Pool

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OK so Tura Headland Rock Pool technically isn’t a beach, but it’s worth mentioning because this rock pool is super beautiful. Sometimes when I’ve been to rock pools, I’ve been expecting them to be bigger (I’m looking at you Figure 8 Pools!).

But, this one is actually really nice and super clear. It was windy when we visited, but during the warmer months, it would be gorgeous to spend the day here.


21. Merimbula Beach

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You can’t visit the NSW South Coast beaches without going to Merimbula Beach which has 5km of white sand to wonder around. Read our Best Things To Do In Merimbula Guide before you go to get inspiration for the best places to visit in the area.


22. Pinnacles Beach, Ben Boyd National Park

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The Pinnacles in NSW is an absolutely incredible sight to be seen. The red, orange and white rocks which tower over the Pinnacles Beach in Ben Boyd National park are exceptional. The beach is truly beautiful and a must visit.


23. Aislings Beach Rock pool

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Aislings Beach Rock Pool is absolutely amazing and feels like another scene from Mars. The rocks here are so unique, I’ve never seen another rock pool like it!


24. Cocora Beach, Eden

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Visiting Eden and looking for a special beach to visit? Check out Cocora Beach which is sheltered and overlooks the amazing Twofolds Bay. Complete with BBQ areas, picnic tables and toilet facilities, it’s a go to family beach without any hectic waves.


My absolute favourite NSW South Coast beaches

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Wondering which NSW South Coast beaches are my absolute favourites? Here’s my personal favourites before we get started.

  • Depot Beach in Murramarang National Park in Batemans Bay – just spectacular!
  • Mystery Bay – wow! just absolutely spectacular
  • The Gantry – absolutely stunning spot
  • Pebbly Beach, Bermagui absolutely incredible beach – this is one I dream of coming back to
  • Mimosa Rocks National Park- honestly feels like a total gem, authenticity at it’s best

More South Coast guides to read

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Looking for more things to do on the South Coast? Check out our guides to help you plan your holidays and getaways right here.


Best NSW South Coast Beaches You Need To Visit

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